Recollection
by Zuzanny
Summary: Duo suddenly finds himself standing out side Relena's funeral with no memory of her or the last 6 months. Is it due to injury, or is there something more sinister going on.
1. Default Chapter Title

::I don't own GW or any of the characters, etc... etc... blah blah blah....:: 

December 2000 

# Recollection

  
by [Zuzanny][1]

## Part 1

*** 

Duo suddenly found himself standing out side an ancient cathedral in where he recognized being at the center of the capital city in the Sank kingdom. Hundreds of people in various stages of mourning were exiting and passing him by. Some would look at him with and odd expression, but the majority of them just completely ignored him. To say he was completely confused was an understatement. He had no idea how he had gotten there. He thought back... He and the other gundam pilots were at the safe house, and they had just ordered pizza. He was lounging on the couch next to Heero, watching the tv. There was a re-run marathon of some soapie from a whole other county, and he had found it's bad acting and totally over the top music strangely hypnotic. ...Then he was standing on the steps around the side of the cathedral, almost hidden behind one of the huge stone pillars. It was just too wired. 

"There you are." Heero's voice shocked him out of his thoughts. "We were wondering where you had gotten your self to. Especially after that little show you put on." Duo looked at Heero, who was looking pretty pissed right now. 

"What little show?" He asked quietly, still feeling overwhelmed. 

"What little show?" Heero echoed even more angry than before. "The one saying that it was not Relena's body in her casket. That little show. The one saying that she was a boy with black hair, and not her, that one." 

Duo blinked. "Huh?" 

Heero gave his 'death glare' and obviously wanted to seriously hurt Duo, except for the pain that filled the violet eyes. 

"What's going on, Heero? I mean, one minute we're eating pizza, and then I'm standing here. And then you're pissed at me? Not only that but I have no idea what you are talking about. Who is this Relena person anyway? She must have been really famous to have all these people come. But then, why don't I know of her?" 

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Duo. I don't know what kind of game you think you are playing, but I don't find this amusing one bit. And the last time we had pizza was over a month ago." 

Duo's eyes widened. "No, that's not right, it wasn't a month ago! It was only a few minutes ago!" He began looking around. "Where are the others? Are they here? Ask them, they'll tell you!" 

Heero studied Duo for a few moments, very grim. Then abruptly pulled him into an embrace. 

"What are you doing?!" Duo yelped, squirming inside the steel arms, suddenly feeling very, very ill. "Let me go!" 

"It's alright, Duo. You're in denial, or something. Just take a deep breath and relax." Duo refused to cooperate though. Finally Heero released him -looking oddly hurt- and Duo ran to the gutter and began to vomit violently. Heero walked up to him and rubbed his back in what should have been a comforting manner, but Duo shrank away from his touch and vomited some more. After a few moments, Duo took some gasping breaths and said to Heero; "Please don't touch me. I feel like throwing up when you do." 

Heero pulled his hand back like it had been burned, hurt clearly showing him his eyes. He turned away. "Fine. I will see if I can find Quatre, if you would prefer his touch." 

Duo flinched at the iciness of Heero's tone, but he had been telling the truth. When Heero had touched him, he was struck with a nausia so strong is was painful. He didn't know why. When Heero left his vacinity, the nausia was gone. He stood up and wiped his mouth, spitting a few times to get the acidy taste from his mouth. Quatre came over to him, looking annoyed at first, then concerned as he saw the state that Duo was in. 

"Are you alright?" Quatre asked. Heero was standing further back behind him. Duo covered his mouth with his hand, and shook his head, tears streamed from his eyes. 

"No Quatre. I am not alright. I am very not alright. Can we go, please? I need to get out of here." 

Quatre nodded, and helped him over to the limousine they had all arrived in. "Just wait in side, and I'll go get the others, okay?" 

Duo nodded tiredly, and Quatre was gone. Heero joined Duo in the car. 

"What's going on." Heero demanded gently. "Do I disgust you so much that you must vomit when I touch you?" 

Duo shook his head. "NO! Of course you don't disgust me! It's just... it's just... i don't know. If you touch me I feel so sick... I don't mean to, and I don't know why this is happening to me. Maybe I hit my head too hard yesterday." 

"Yesterday? When did you hit your head yesterday?" 

"During the mission. When that mobile doll got a lucky shot in. You remember? Don't you?" 

Heero's eyes were hard. "I know of no mission yesterday, since the war has been over for six months." 

Duo's eyes went even wider and all the blood drained from his face. "Oh my God. Oh my God, this can't be happening." He shook his head and began rocking back and forth, murmuring denials. 

/You're tired./ Came a voice in his head. 

"I'm tired." He said. 

/You think you will sleep now./ 

"I think I will sleep now." He immediately slumped to the side. Heero tried to coax him awake, but Duo's eyes had gone glassy, and he did not respond to Heero's presence at all. Heero got out of the car when Quatre, Trowa and Wufei made their approach. 

"We need to take Duo to hospital. Now." 

"What's going on now." Wufie grumbled, but then they saw Duo's form, and agreed. Quatre called up his private family doctors while Trowa drove home as fast as they could. 

Duo continued staring into nothing. 

***

A figure watched the ex-pilots leave in their limousine, and smiled. The figure did not know how the Maxwell one had been able to see through the illusions, but the figure had fixed that. The figure waited until the limousine had turned around a corner before walking away, humming a happy tune. 

to be continued... 

[back to my fics][2]

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   [1]: mailto:lionette@mailcity.com
   [2]: http://www.geocites.com/zuzannylancaster/myfics.htm
   [3]: http://www.geocites.com/zuzannylancaster/zuzanny.htm



	2. Recollection part 2

Recollection Part 2

GW characters do not belong to me, but this story is mine, so do not steal it or I will be veeery angry. OOC: because it is meant to be. Also, I have not seen the entire series (including EW) so I have no idea how the actual storyline finishes... if it does. C & C welcome, but all flames will be laughed at. ;p 

March 2001 

# Recollection 

## part 2

  
by [Zuzanny][1]

*** 

Two days ago... 

The stones of the cathedral were a dark, almost black-blue, and a sandy sort of yellow. Hundreds of gargoyles littered the roof, their mouths gaping open in silent screams or wails, or even laughter. It all depended upon how one decided to look at it. The huge arched doors were hand carved out of fine oak, and held no decoration but were surrounded by an absolute carpet of wreaths and flowers. 

Inside, the roof was high and arched with timber beams holding it up. The floor was polished wood, and the pews were also hand carved and polished so that the dark wood shone in the light of the candles that lit up the walls. There was another floor above them, so that when down the bottom was full, others could sit above. One of the walls from the balcony up was completely filled by a huge pipe organ. Stained windows told the story of the son of God being killed upon a cross, then being raised to life again three days later. 

In the front of the church there was an altar with a cross hanging behind it. A coffin rested in front of the altar. The casket was open, revealing a pale young woman with long blond-brown hair in a white lacey gown. Her expression was complete peace, not fear. Not horror or pain. Not any more. The morticians did a brilliant job. 

The door opened and two young men entered. One with dark unrully hair, and the other with long brown hair in a braid. Both in black. The one with the braid hung behind at the front of the pews as the other approached the casket. 

"I can't believe it." the dark haired one said quietly, looking over the woman's shell. "She's actually gone. There is going to be so much political shit hitting the fan now and it wont be funny." he looked back at the braided one, a strange look to his eyes. "You know I didn't love her, right?" 

The braided one nodded. "I know." 

"I could never understand the fascination she had with me." 

"Well," the one with the braid said lightly. "You are a pilot, a rebel, a fighter... not to mention incredibly sexy... I can understand perfectly well why she would be fascinated by you. You were every thing she was not." 

"It's not nice to speak ill of the dead, Duo." 

"Just because I'm telling you the truth about your self you think I'm speaking ill of her? I'm cut, truly and deeply." 

"No, I meant-" 

"Heero," Duo said seriously. "It was not your fault. Do you understand?" 

"But-" 

"No butts except mine, okay? She chose to sneak out. She chose to go against your advice. She chose to dress the way she did. She chose to take those drugs. What happened to her was not your fault. If I walked down the middle of the road dressed the way I do normally and so high I was floating, I'd probably get hit by a car too." 

"You're doing it again." 

"Sorry, I don't mean to. This thing is throwing my ever so tactful mind into fits. Just try to ignore me." 

Heero turned away from the casket to look at Duo. "Come here." 

Duo pressed his lips into a strait line and shook his head no. 

"Why not." 

"I don't need to look to know what death smells like. Any closer and I'll puke." 

Heero seemed to accept that, and moved back over to Duo. They wrapped their arms around each other in a hug. Heero buried his face in Duo's neck and shoulder, while Duo stroked Heero's back. 

People started to arrive by the bunch full. Taking seats where appropriate for their social standing. Some came forward to pay their respects to her body. Duo studied the roof of the cathedral like he had been while Heero had looked over Relena's body, and continued to comfort Heero. Finally he could resist no longer and actually looked towards the casket, and... not at any Relena he had ever seen. 

"Oi," he nudged Heero. "Are you sure that that really is Relena?" He asked. Heero looked over his shoulder back at the casket, then again at Duo. 

"Of course. Why?" 

"It's just... I though Relena had long blondish hair, you know? Not short black. That doesn't even look like a girl in there. I could be wrong, but I mean, that hair style is just so boyish... Not that I can talk, I suppose." 

Heero stepped back away from Duo and held his shoulders at arm length. "That is not funny." He hissed dangerously. 

"It's not meant to be. The morticians didn't DO anything to her, did they?" 

Some of the people could over hear what he was saying, and began whispering and muttering amongst themselves. 

"Don't do this, Duo. Not here and not to me." 

"Don't do what? Tell you that the person I see in that coffin is NOT the person it's supposed to be? Well, sorry." Duo pulled away from Heero, and sat in a huff. Crossing his arms and looking away from Heero. Heero sat down beside him with a sigh. For a while they just sat like that, quiet, while the cathedral began to fill. 

Quatre and Trowa arrived and made their way over to Heero and Duo. Quatre was looking somewhat pale and sick. He was clinging to Trowa's arm like an old man, and was constantly clutching at his heart. 

"You don't look so good." Heero told him. "Should you be here?" 

Quatre gave him a slight smile and a nod, before grimacing again. Trowa guided him to the pew. "I'm alright. It's just... so many people in mourning. It's nice to know that Relena was loved so much, but it gets a bit... overwhelming... at times." 

The three men nodded in attempted understanding. 

Abruptly Duo turned to the two newly arrived pilots. "What do you see when you look in that casket?" 

Quatre's brow furrowed, and Trowa blinked. 

"What do you mean? Exactly." Quatre asked quietly. 

"Do you see Relen's body in there, or some one else completely different." 

They looked. "Relena." Quatre replied. 

"It is definitely Relena." Trowa agreed. 

"As in the girl with long honey-blond hair, a terrible crush on Heero, and an awful taste in pink things?" Duo needed confirmation. 

"Of course." Qutare said. "What am I supposed to see, or what do you see?" 

"What I see is not Relena at all. It's not even a girl as far as I can tell. The hair is definitely not long and blond, and the facial features are too square for her. Unless she cut and died her hair and had radical plastic surgery, that is NOT Relena Peacecraft's body I see." 

"That is ridiculous." Wufei announced as he approached, having over heard what Duo had just said. 

The organ started playing sad funeral music. 

"Fine." Duo hissed, gathering himself together in preparation to leave. "I don't know what the hell is going on here, but I'm sure as hell not going to sit around and watch while some one else is buried in the place of that woman." Scrambling away out of the pew, Duo virtually climbed over Heero and Quatre's laps to get out to the center isle. "I'll wait out side, thank-you-so-very-much." He hurried out past the oak doors, pushing and shoving past other mourners. 

"I should go after him to make sure he's okay." Heero made to get up but Quatre stopped him. 

"Just give him a few minutes alone to think first. Obviously this whole situation is affecting him a lot harder than we thought." 

"I didn't know that Duo even liked Relena." Trowa whispered, sitting as the service started. Wufie sat in the pew behind them. 

"He didn't." Heero muttered. "Sometimes I just don't understand him." 

***

Duo leaned against one of the stone pillars away from the crowd of last minute attendants and virtually the rest of the whole world gathered out there sobbing and howling. Huge screens had been set up on stands with speakers so that they could watch in on the service 

He was annoyed, angry, confused, and just royally pissed off. Why could no one else see that Relena was not the one in the casket? It made no sense! Or did every one else know something about Her Royal Personage that he had missed? Like the fact that she cut and died her hair and was a guy not a girl? If that was not true, why was he then the only person that seemed to notice the difference? 

"I don't know." Came a familiar voice from behind him. He span to look, eyes widening with recognition. "But I sure would like to find out." 

***

The service was quite moving. Relena's brother, Millardo Peacecraft read out his beautifully crafted eulogy, bravely holding back tears. Quatre had broken down several times, although tried to control it. 

Every one had been invited to the cemetery, where Relena was to be buried in the royal lot. After the burial there was to be afternoon tea at the town hall, and again, anyone who wanted to was invited to attend, which meant half the world would be there. Slowly the coffin was closed and carried out by Millardo, and three other ministers that Relena had had close contact with. Heero had been asked earlier, but had felt too responsible for her death to have the honor of carrying her body. People started to filter out and go to their cars, preparing for an entourage. 

Heero wandered out and found Duo looking highly bewildered... 

***

to be continued... 

   [1]: mailto:lionette@mailcity.com



	3. Chapter 3

20 december 2006 - Zuzanny was hit in the head by a plot bunny. I guess this shows that fics can be continued even if they are not touched in... around five years.

GW and the characters don't belong to me, etc... blah blah blah..

Recollection 

by Zuzanny

lionette AT mailcity DOT com

Part 3

Today.

"As far as I can tell," Sally-Po said examining the x-rays, cat scans, blood tests, and other samples that had been taken of Duo. "there is absolutely nothing wrong with him." She looked across her office desk at a very grim Heero, who did not like this news at all.

"That can't be right." He said. "He wouldn't be unconscious if that were so. And missing memory apparently. OR seeing things."

Sally-Po frowned and flicked through the test results again. "His bloods have come back normal, no foreign substances or signs of disease. Stomach contents likewise. No traces of drugs or poison. No broken bones or head trauma. No sign of stroke or brain tumor or and disorder of the brain. Look at the results yourself."

Heero reached across the table and took them when offered, scanning every detail. "You must have missed something."

"The only thing I can suggest right now is waiting for him to wake up and tell us what is wrong."

Heero looked up with an expression of total fear. "But... what if he never wakes up?"

Duo floated in warmth and absolute comfort. Slowly he floated closer and closer to wakefulness, until he recognised the sound of organised chaos and his eyes shot open with panic.

/Shit!/ He thought. /I've been captured!/ He ripped the iv tube from the back of his hand and left it dangling and dripping clear fluid onto the floor. Looking around he found he was in a small, well lit cell... No, a room. A bed similar to design of a hospital bed. And hospital blankets, white and printed with the Sanq hospital logo. Duo frowned. What was he doing in a Sanq hospital? He pulled back the blankets and discovered he was wearing a light green hospital gown. He grimaced and jumped out of the bed. The polished white lino was cold on his bare feet. The door was closed but had a window he could look out. People in hospital uniforms of various kinds hustled and bustled about. Nurse station up the right a little. It looked like there were civilians coming and going freely. He didn't notice any guards on either side of the door, but that didn't mean there weren't any. He hesitated to try and open the door just yet and chose instead to scout the room for bugs and any potential assets. There was a door that opened to a toilet and shower recess with a sink and mirror on the wall. Some soap and a white logoed towel was all.

Or maybe they didn't recognise him as a Gundam pilot?

Duo froze at the mirror. His hair was clean. Well, he could feel that he needed to wash it, but it wasn't soiled with dirt or engine grease, or camo paint. It was also slightly longer than he remembered it to be. And his face was... different. Less gaunt and pale. More healthy and fed. Looking down he noticed he had a little more weight to him. Not fat, but again looked better fed. Healthy. Even his finger and toe nails were clean. Maybe he had been drugged? He didn't feel any sour taste in his mouth or nausea or head ache, or anything really. In fact he felt perfectly fine. Odd.

No, he realised as his stomach rumbled, he was hungry.

As if by magic, there came a knock at the outer door and and orderly came in dragging a trolley laden with food trays. Through the crack in the bathroom door Duo watched as the slightly plump woman hummed to herself and selected a tray to place on the rolling bedside table, ticking off paperwork as she did so. Then she was gone. Duo waited a few minutes, senses stretched to see if it were a trap of some kind, before cautiously creeping back to the bedside to look at was was under the covered dishes. A plate of roast meat and vegetables with gravy, a bowl of red jelly and ice cream, and a jug of coffee all waited there for him. Along with the implements to eat them with. Duo was thoroughly confused, with a good dose of suspicion thrown in. Reading the accompanying Patient Menu confused him further. It had his name on it. Filled out by handwriting that looked exactly like Heero's. And it was food that he liked. Surely if he were injured in a fire fight Heero would have given him a fake name? Besides... he wasn't injured. Just confused and... hungry.

Voices, and foot steps approaching the door. Duo grabbed the knife to use as a weapon and pressed himself against the wall by the door in readiness to attack.

"You can go on in a sit by him if you want." It was a woman's voice that was... vaguely familiar. Duo frowned trying to place her.

"Thank you." That was Heero! Heero pushing the door open and who's eyes widened with alarm when he saw the bed was empty. Heero who froze in place as Duo grabbed him and was able to put the knife to his throat. Heero who was taller, slower, softer, and... NOT the way HEERO should be.

"Who are you?" Duo hissed, dragging him away from the door and the startled lady doctor, who The Person put up a hand to stop her from calling an alarm. "Where is this place? Why am I here? Is it controled by Oz?"

The Person stiffened in his arms at the word Oz. "Zero two," He said firmly, yet quietly. Mission voice. "calm yourself. You are not compromised." Duo still didn't relax his grip or the knife, but waited. "You are safe. The war is over. Oz was defeated. You are in hospital in the Sanq kingdom."

"Why?" Duo hissed it out.

The Person then grabbed Duo's hand holding the knife in an unmistakable grip, easily pulled Duo's arm away and turned to look into Duo's widened eyes.

"Heero?" Duo whispered with shock, dropping the knife with a clatter on the floor. It WAS Heero. Only... a different Heero than he should be.

"Duo," Heero's expression softened as he breathed Duo's name. "You have lost a section of you memory. We don't know why. We are trying to figure that out, and the extent of the loss."

Duo blinked, shaking his head, then backed away until he touched the bed. "It's a trick."

Heero followed him, and clasped Duo's hands in his own. "Never." He said with conviction that confused Duo even more. The lady doctor cautiously entered then. "I know you are confused, but PLEASE... let us help you."

"All...right."

Heero flung his arms around Duo in a firm hug, that sent a shock a nausea through Duo. "Duo, Duo..." Heero breathed against Duo's neck while his body shook with emotion.

Duo made an uncomfortable noise, and put his hand on Heero's arm to push him away. Heero gave him a hurt look and backed away, which made Duo even worse than just nauseated. It hurt his heart too and he didn't know why.

The lady doctor moved in front of him. "Duo," she asked gently. "do you remember me? I'm Doctor Sally-Po."

He shook his head no. "No... But your voice is familiar." He started to feel fear creep up his spine. "Is it true? That I have lost my memory?"

She shone a light in his eyes, her mouth a grim straight line. "It appears so. What is the last thing you remember?"

Duo lowered his eyes. "I'm not sure. I think I was watching re-runs at..." He looked up, still not sure if he could trust completely. "A safe location. I think I fell asleep on the couch."

"Do you remember the date?" He rattled off a date that was a good six months prior. She didn't tell him that though. "Hmmm..." She checked his blood pressure. "Do you remember anything else? Anyone coming into the room? An attack?"

Duo shook his head. "All the, uh, guys where there already." Then his eyes lost focus. "I think I had a strange dream though." He said quietly.

"Could you please tell me about it?"

"I was at a funeral." He said still quiet as before. "This really big stone church was packed with people. They were all looking at me funny, and I thought they were at MY funeral, but, heh, I doubt anyone would miss me when I go, let alone fill a church like that to overflowing. Unless they'd want to make sure I was really dead."

Sally knew a number of people who would disagree with that statement, but she didn't say anything as she didn't want to distract him. Instead she said "Go on."

"Then you" he pointed to Heero. "came up to me, and you were angry at me. But I didn't know why." Heero inclined his head. "It was someone else's funeral. Someone everyone else knew and loved, but I had never heard of." Duo frowned and looked down to his lap. "I don't really remember much after that." Sally patted his shoulder.

"That's alright. You did well." She smiled at him. "How about I get you some more cutlery, and let you eat your dinner?" With that she left.

There was silence in the room for a while before Heero spoke up. "I was angry because I thought you were pulling a joke."

Duo raised his head in question.

"You said that it was a boy in the casket, not Relena's body. You were quite persistent about it." Heero watched Duo's face while he spoke. How his head tilted to the side a little, and his eyes unfocused, then widened as his face went white. "Duo?"

"It WAS a boy!" Duo said urgently. "With black hair! And out side there was- Uhn!" He was cut off like someone physically struck him across the face. Heero caught him as he fell sideways almost sliding off the bed in a pile of limp limbs.

"HELP!" Heero yelled, unable to reach the buzzer beside the bed while he was trying to support Duo's neck. People came running, pulling Duo's unresponsive body back onto the bed and checking him over as medical people do. Heero backed away, seeing Duo's eyes rolled up to whites, and feeling heaviness upon his chest. His back his the wall and he slid down to the floor, trying to figure out what was going on. He looked up as Sally rushed back in to join in the swarm around Duo, and felt absolutely helpless. Heero needed to know more about what was going on, about what had happened. He needed to do something.

"There was something out side..." He muttered to himself, then shot up as he realised. "There was something out side!" and he ran out the door to find a phone and call Quatre. "If we can check the security cameras... then maybe... maybe..."

to be continued...


End file.
